Monarch Butterfly chrysalis (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In my chrysalis stage
I had no face
I woke to find
Of my visage
Not a single trace
I saw, it seemed, through tiny hairs
Across my featureless skin
Fine tuned antenna let
The visual in
Through sound waves susserating
beneath and within
Mirrors reflected back
Mere nothingness
I had no reason known
For this change
And deep alarm described
My inner, faceless state
My life completely re-arranged
No mouth to speak my pain
Only soft and undulating
Pale terrain
Hollows where cheekbones
Somehow still remained
Small slits breathing
In and out again
No face to express the horror
Or the fear
I hid in the shadows of my room
Let no-one near
How would they recognise the alien
Thing just lying here
I thought I’d die of grief and shock
My heart beat wild
My reptile brain
Lashed out to the void
Again, again
Clawed at the nothing
Like it was just a mask
Ignoring even pain
Till deep, complete exhaustion
Rendered all battles in vain
Days later someone found me still
In my chrysalis stage
Warm arms embraced me
Carried me
No words exchanged
I saw some hospital through
My sightless eyes
But that none recognised me
Was no surprise
They locked me in a white room
I could hear them speak
Discussing surgery to free me
As if deep below
There would still be a face
A person
That someone might know
Might know
But this was only my chrysalis stage
I dwelt in darkness
Regret and ignorance
So many days
Until the sixth morning, when I woke
My body raised
Found a face of sorts
Returned, transfigured
And before the alien being that I was
I stood amazed
They’ll never know me for they cannot gaze
Upon a light that streams and blinds them all
They are behind me, cannot recognise
The evolution birthed before their eyes
I walk alone with face not born of man
But something drawn from when all time began
Just like a ghost
They’ll think that I must die
Just like the caterpillar grieves
The butterfly.
(c) Helen Valentina 2013, All Rights Reserved
Had to drop in and stop editing/proof-reading to take part on mindlovemisery’s prompt for the week – it’s now a ritual of sorts for me! 🙂 Check it out and her fine writing at http://mindlovemisery.wordpress.com
helenvalentina 
This is brilliant – the use of the first person conjures echoes of Poe and, dare I say it – Kafka.
Thank you so much, that is very, very kind of you! 🙂 🙂
Wow! Powerful stuff. I love the last two lines, and ‘no mouth to speak my pain’. Brilliant imagery.
Thank you so much!! 🙂 🙂
Oh wow Helen this is absolute perfection you have nailed the Kafka vibe love it!
Thanks so much!! 🙂 🙂 It was a fun prompt – and a challenging one I found! 🙂
Brilliant, Helen!!! Truly!!! 🙂
Thanks so much, it was kind of fun to write, if a little mad!! 🙂
how thought-full 🙂
Thank you!! 🙂 🙂
masterful
Thanks so much Paul!! 🙂 🙂
Masterful indeed – and scary!
Anna :o]
Thank you so much!! 🙂 🙂
This gave me the shivers! Scary good. You could be the next “Poe!”
Wow, that’s very, very kind of you!! 🙂 🙂
Wow, amazing Helen!
Thank you, it was fun to write!! 🙂 🙂
excellent…I really enjoyed this one and the last tow lines bleew me away
Thanks so much!! 🙂 🙂